Chapter II. A Thousand Tons of Truth #2
“‘Our daughter.’
“‘Sonofab—’
“I was halfway out of my seat when the doors opened, and Kestrel and Ettiene stepped inside. The Princes yet wore their platemail, dark metal sticky red with the leavings of countless slain. Aaron and Lachie both rankled at the sight of the monster who’d bested them, but Kestrel stared only at me.
My handprints were yet scorched on Ettiene’s flesh, the threat of sudden violence hanging in the air.
But stood by the hearth, Fabién only glanced to his eldest, speaking without speech.
And in the chill-brittle silence following, a passel of servants in Voss livery stepped into the room.
“Pretty messieurs and demoiselles all, they carried trays laden with fare from cellar and larder—dusty bottles of red and mounds of potatoloaf and a steaming pot of what smelled like rabbit stew. They set the table as if for a feast among friends, golden plates and crystal goblets. Despite the trials of the day and the rumble of long-empty bellies, not a one of my company reached for the food. But sinking into my seat with jaw clenched, I snatched up a fabulously expensive bottle of Vin de Montfort, knocked the top off on the table’s edge, and splashed myself a gobletful.
“With a sidelong glance, Lachlan nudged another goblet toward me, and I filled it to the brim.
A storm was rising outside, faint thunder ringing on the stone around us, distant lightning licking the sky.
The Maiden and the Crow stared yet at their father, shadows swaying and flames dancing and breath roiling white from between my fangs.
But while his children bristled with hostility, the Forever King seemed perfectly serene.
“And once the servants were done, they and the Princes departed without a word.
“‘Eat. Drink.’ Voss gazed about the hall, swallowing fear like wine. ‘No snare do I lay for thee, no dirge do I play for thee. In peace thou hast entered, and in peace ye may depart.’
“‘Get the fuck on with it, wanker.’
“This from Lachlan, spat not spoken. Of all in the room, Lachie had spent the most time in the presence of ancien highbloods. His father was one of the Five, remember, just like Fabién. And while even Aaron seemed a little subdued in the presence of the Forever King, my old ’prentice looked fearless, aegis burning brighter than the hearthfire.
“‘á Craeg,’ Voss mused, looking him over. ‘Intriguing, thy choice of moniker. Pray, why name thyself not for thy dread father, Dyvok, but for the slave he raped? ’
“‘If yer lookin’ to get a rise, leech, prettier bitches than ye have tried and failed.’ Aaron smiled as Lachlan looked Voss up and down. ‘An’ I’m nae here to dance fer yer fuckin’ jollies. I’m here fer my brother. So dribble yer shite, so we can be on our way.’
“‘Thy brother.’
“‘Tha’s right.’
“‘I tell thee truly, boy, this night, afore the cock crows, thee and thy beloved shalt forsake thy brother dear.’
“‘Never.’
“‘Never be a long time in the coming, Lachlan Dyvok.’
“The pair matched wills, the air crackling, Lachie’s aegis burning on the arc of Fabién’s eyes.
Voss was ancient. Puissant. But no matter his age nor power, Fabién was still bound by the same laws and frailties as all kith, and in the end, it was he who turned slowly back toward the flames.
Charlotte beamed to see that even in shadow this deep, God’s light held sway.
But secretly, I wondered if Fabién had been forced to turn, or if he were showing Lachlan his back to prove how unafeared he truly was.
“‘Thou hast the right of it, boy,’ he declared. ‘At purpose are we here. Promised thee a truth, hath I. The truth of that plague we did name Esani.’
“My pulse quickened in the freezing air. I knew I could trust nothing he said, but a part of me still burned to hear what he had to say. My father had been one of the Faithless—in some way, their story was also mine. My sister’s too.
But more, it was the story of the girl I’d sworn to protect. My dear, brave Dior.
“‘Didst thy father ever speak of it, Lachlan Dyvok? ’ Voss gazed up at that portrait of the Mothermaid, the infant in her arms. ‘The night we returned to the scene of our great crime? Our battle at the site of thy Redeemer’s murder, ’gainst our sister and her murd’rous brood?
Spake dread Tolyev ever, of the Charbourg’s fall? ’
“‘Nae to me.’
“‘Nor why we sought to erase Illia and her acolytes from this earth? ’
“‘Nae.’ Lachlan took a gulp of wine, dragging glowing knuckles across his lips. ‘But that tale should be plain enough to guess. The Esani murdered hundreds of yer kind in their Red Crusade. I wager there was nary a leech under heaven back then who hadn’t lost a maker, a lover, a bairn to their faith.’ My old ’prentice glanced to me, green eyes shining.
‘Revenge is a perilous and powerful sort of drug.’
“‘Not a faith were they.’
“The words hung in the air, edged with contempt. I saw the gleam of Voss’s fangs as he gazed into the flames, hissing soft and venomous.
“‘Not a faith, but a madness. The tally of their murders was uncounted, aye, their lust for the blood of their own kind unmeasured. But t’was not for mere vengeance we gathered to destroy them. We marched on Charbourg’s walls to end the Esani’s insanity afore it ended us. All of us.’
“One pale hand rose, sweeping the gathering, the keep, the empire beyond.
“‘All of this.’
“Aaron lifted his eyes then. My brother had been mute up to this point, but I knew there was more to his silence than the pain of his wounds.
I think Aaron wanted to remain small here.
Unnoticed. It was as if he feared being in the presence of monsters might remind us that he was a monster in kind.
That with one small push in the wrong direction, he could so very easily become like them.
“‘What do you mean all of this?’ he demanded.
“‘What think ye I mean, Aaron Dyvok? ’
“‘My name is de Coste.’
“The Forever King smiled. And as that black gaze fell on my brother, I saw him shiver. I wondered if they spoke then, in the halls of Aaron’s mind.
“What Voss might have seen there.
“What he might have promised.
“‘And so we come to crux.’ Voss turned on me once more. ‘Truth. The reason why, much as ye despise me, old friend, thou shalt this very night swear allegiance unto my banner. For though drenched in the blood of babes and nations both I be, the evil I am be nothing compared to the evil coiled behind Augustin’s walls. An evil which e’en now presses thy dear Dior to part this blackened veil and attain all that waits beyond. ’
“‘The veil they speak of,’ I said. ‘It’s not daysdeath.’
“‘That great work, undone by hands so feeble and few? ’ Voss scoffed. ‘Hardly.’
“‘What is it then? The blackened veil? If not daysdeath, what?’
“‘Life.’
“Voss looked down at his hand, voice filled with a sorrow near boundless.
“‘This miserable, lonely, desperate eternal life.’
“‘Enough bullshit. What do the Esani want, Voss?’
“‘The world, old friend. They want to end this world.’
“‘I don’t—’
“‘All Shall Kneel. Deeds Not Words. Sharper Than Blades. The Wolf Frets Not. These the words of our noble lines, and in each, there be the desire of each Priori for their progeny. The heart of all they are. What then, be the words of Esani? What creed did Illia choose, that should define her line entire? ’
“‘Judgment Comes,’ Baptiste murmured.
“‘Judgment Comes.’ Voss nodded. ‘That is what they seek, Baptiste, son of Ismael. The Day of Judgment promised in Testaments, when God above shall reach to earth below and take up all flesh in rapture to be weighed afore his throne. And should rule of earth and hea’en be united, that Day shall come to pass. That glorious, apocalyptic day they hath labored to birth, since first Illia threw her lot in with Esan’s children, and fought to raise the Redeemer’s line to empire’s throne. The Day all shall be judged.’
“‘A loophole,’ I breathed.
“I looked about the room, heart pounding in my chest as realization sank home.
“‘The Esani faith. Illia’s crusade, communion, all of it.’
“I looked to Voss, horrified.
“‘It’s just a fucking loophole.’
“Charlotte blinked, shaking her head. ‘What d—’
“‘When a vampire dies, their souls are cast into hell. No heavenly appraisal, no weighing of goodness nor sin. Only damnation awaits the damned after death.’ I met Lachie’s eyes, pulse racing. ‘But if a vampire could survive until the Day of Judging…’
“‘They’d be taken up with the rest of the flesh,’ Lachlan whispered.
“‘Exactly. They could dodge the hellfire awaiting every coldblood after death, and plead their worthiness before Heaven’s King direct. And if they’d lived according to scripture, if they’d been shrived of sin through contrition before their judging…’
“‘They might be granted salvation,’ Aaron breathed.
“Baptiste met his husband’s eyes then, his own stung with tears.
“‘Salvation.’
“‘But at the cost of this world.’ Charlotte gazed about the room, her face bloodless. ‘Every man. Every woman. Every child. It would be the end of everything.’
“‘Everything.’
“Voss met each stare, peering into every soul.
“‘Name me evil incarnate. Drenched in blood innocent. Father of a hundred thousand orphans, lover to a million widowers weeping, aye, all true. All true. Yet not e’en Forever’s King hath desire to slay every living thing on the face of this cold earth.’
“‘You fear the fire.’
“I looked to that hearth he stood beside, the hungry flames licking at the air.
“‘You sold your soul to hell’s tyrant. You and all who slew the Redeemer. When you end, you burn, Judgment Day or no. So as lonely and desperate as your life becomes…’
““Tis preferable to the alternative.’
“Fabién’s smile reached all the way to his eyes.
“‘As I say, old friend. Ye know me true.’
“‘I know all you are is lies. You want Dior out of Maryn’s clutches and in your fucking own, don’t think I don’t see it. Your every waking moment since you learned she lived has been spent trying to claim that girl. Why?’